Keeping track of Chicago area fire departments

Chicago FD LODD Firefighter Daniel Capuano, 12-14-15 (more)

Hundreds of firefighters filled the hallways, chapel and auditorium of St. Rita High School in Ashburn Friday morning to say goodbye to Chicago fireman Daniel Capuano, 42, of Mount Greenwood who was killed early Monday after falling two stories down an elevator shaft at a burning South Chicago warehouse. He leaves behind his wife Julie, and three children — Amanda, 16, Andrew, 13, and Nicholas, 12.

“On behalf of a grateful city and nation, we are here with you,” said Fr. Tom McCarthy of St. Rita High School. “None of us want to be here. But we are here, and we are here to celebrate life: the life of a very good man. If you are not here to celebrate that, you need to leave right now.”

McCarthy described Capuano as a dedicated father, firefighter and man of faith. He and Julie had celebrated their 20th wedding anniversary on July 20. Firefighters read heartbreaking letters from Capuano’s wife and kids during the service.

“I’m just not sure what I’m going to do,” Julie Capuano wrote. “I will miss your hands and face. You were my first true love and you will always be my love. You were everything to me and I will love you always and forever.”

McCarthy gave a message to each of the children, urging them to remember their dad is still with them. “Your dad was and always will be your biggest fan and your biggest supporter,” he said to Amanda. To the boys: “Every time you play a game, I’m going to feel sorry for the other team, because you are going to have one more guy on the ice – your dad.”

Capuano joined the fire department in 2001 as a paramedic and became a firefighter in 2005. He served as a volunteer hockey coach with the St. Jude Knights Hockey Club and was an active parishioner at Queen of Martyrs Catholic School in suburban Evergreen Park.

The fire commissioner described Capuano as a man who “loved the service and respected the people that needed help.”

After the funeral Mass, a procession of police cars and fire trucks lined up to take Capuano’s body to be buried at Holy Sepulchre Catholic Cemetery where firefighters from his station followed Engine 72 to the gravesite and bagpipes played. Amazing Grace was played as the flag from atop the casket was folded, and Fire Commissioner Santiago handed the flag to Capuano’s widow.

“I wish he could see how many people came out to support us,” Amanda wrote in a letter read at the funeral mass. “I wish you could see how many people love you, daddy.”